OBSIDIAN CHAMBER
A place by the fireplace
(Symphonic Extreme Metal | Black Metal)
Label: Running Wild Productions
Format: (EP)
Release: 29.03.2024
Formerly strong and confident of victory
today babbling and silly giggling
There is no tooth in his mouth
He smells like a wet dog
still he can’t help it
to grab the ladies’ buttocksZausel
With their last EP, the Viennese symphonic extreme metallers OBSIDIAN CHAMBER made me more than curious. So it’s fitting that the gentlemen deliver their fourth long player with the harmless title “Ein Platz Am Kamin”.
And it has a lot to offer and to discover. The basic tenor is towards (post-)black metal, but the guys from our capital weave in some symphonic components. The orchestration doesn’t need to be hidden with its string parts, the often opulent background music and the sometimes neoclassical-sounding melodies. These are of course in contrast to wild blast attacks, harsh black metal vocals and some death metal influences. Especially in the first tracks, Michael Kaiser’s clean, always solemn, often pathetic vocals stand out.
The vocals mentioned above seem – especially due to the German vocals – like a mix of Til Lindemann, theater acting and as if Michael were reciting old poets like Goethe or Rilke. And so OBSIDIAN CHAMBER definitely have their charm. By the final “Begierde” at the latest, RAMMSTEIN breaks through completely, but it’s as if they had recruited the drummer from NAGLFAR or MAYHEM, because of course you haven’t heard such blast beats from the German NDH veterans yet.
“Zausel” is reminiscent of a dark history lesson with tragic vocals, delicate strings and other interesting gimmicks that go hand in hand in a wonderfully homogeneous way with the extreme elements. “Der Beste Kebap Der Stadt” shows that this isn’t all meant to be taken too seriously, which in turn reminds me of the vocals from DISTASTE. The neoclassical “Es Ging Ein Maidlein Zarte” is quiet, complete with operatic mezzo-soprano vocals by Tatjana Gonzáles and dramatic orchestration, “Stockmeister” sways more towards black/death again and after the piano outro “Extro” OBSIDIAN CHAMBER go for it The rest of the album is a bit rougher.
Equipped with English vocals, “Dark Filthy Me” is more reminiscent of greats like DIMMU BORGIR or BEHEMOTH in their earlier days and “Heaven’s Damnation” shows once again how versatile the Viennese are with hectic keys, deep grunts and operatic elements. The three final tracks are already well-known numbers from the band, but they were completely re-produced.
I would actually like to say that “Ein Platz Ein Kamin” is a huge surprise in the Austrian extreme metal sector, but if you’re honest, “Holzphäller” has already more than skillfully announced that. It may be that the production could have been a little richer, but as an Extreme Metal fan you can’t really complain about it. Brave fans of hard, black and dead sounds definitely have to give this a listen.
Tracklist “A Place By The Fireplace”:
1. Intro
2. A place by the fireplace
3. The Red Rooster
4. Zausel
5. The best kebab in town
6. There Went A Delicate Maid
7. The Pit
8. Stockmaster
9. Extro
10. Dark Filthy Me
11. Heaven’s Damnation
12. Desire
Total playing time: 58:49
Band-Links:
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